The Visionary
by DynnaChae
Summary: COMPLETE! When Raven and Chelsea go on vacation, they finally decide to make a confession to one another. Although both of them know how the other feels, when will they finally be able to tell one another? CHRAVE FEMSLASH.
1. The Impromptu Vacation

Hello::wavewave:: This is my first That's So Raven fic. This is a Chrave femslash so if you don't like femslashes maybe you should go somewhere else.

Other than that, I don't own That's So Raven. That's pretty obvious. Yadda yadda yadda fine print fine print. ONWARD!

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_Who better to describe love than yourself?_

_A person in love? No_

_No one better than…_

"…yourself! Chels? Chels! CHELS! Earth to Chelsea!" Came the voice from the other end of her dreams. Raven huffed into the phone knowing full well Chelsea Daniels was famous for zoning out when something important was going on.

Chelsea rubbed her eyes a little and sat up. She was staring out at the bay from her refuge more appropriately described as a campsite overlooking the better sights of San Francisco. She had volunteered to spend her summer days taking children 10-14 on camping trips.

"Hey Dreamer! Get your head out of the clouds and back onto your shoulders! I'm talking to you and this is EPIC!" Raven started up again.

"Yea, Rae. I'm here. I'm sorry. Weird dreams." Chelsea replied in a groggy, yet sincere tone. "What were you saying?"

Raven rolled her eyes from the other side of the phone. "Chels! We're going to end this summer with a bang! My dad just booked the vacation house of our DREAMS! Nothing you were dreaming of could compare to THIS!" Raven started up again, trying her best to hold back her squeals of joy. "They even have that nature-y stuff you love so much. Plenty of trails and trees and stuff. I even saw a mall in the brochure! This is IT! BRING ON THE REUINION, GIRL!" Raven lost her composure and started dancing.

"Really? You're inviting me?! Oh Raeeeeeeee you're so sweet!" Chelsea decided to lay it on thick even though her mind was venturing again. "When do we leave?" She scratched her head and shrugged.

"This weekend, Chels! A Friday to Friday stay in Paradise! It's ON!" Raven couldn't help but gyrate again.

"But Rae… that's one day. Hah! How is that a week?!" Chelsea rolled her eyes.

"THIS Friday to NEXT Friday, Chelsea! This Friday to next Friday!" Rae stopped mid fist-pump.

"Ohhhh well that makes sense! Ok count me in!" Chelsea smiled softly. It was true, she missed her best friend something awful since she came home from New York at the beginning of the summer, leaving Raven behind in New York.

"Great! So pack your bags, leave the tofu and meet me at my house on Thursday before 10!" Raven lost it again and started dancing in place.

Chelsea let her have her moment on the other side of the phone as she finally pulled herself out of her sleepy haze. Just her luck, this was the last weekend of the summer that she'd be taking the kids camping. She had three weeks before she'd be returning to New York City to prep for her Junior year of college in Columbia University, majoring in Environmental Studies with a minor in Sociology. She had resolved to spend the time in the library refreshing her mind of last semester's courses, but Raven's announcement put an end to that plan.

Raven had flown back into San Francisco earlier that week to visit her family. She completed her second year in F.I.T. with flying colors and was a shoe-in for advanced placement design next semester. She thought she'd go home and personally deliver the good news to her parents. "Chrave" experts would say she flew back because two months without Chelsea was virtually two months without oxygen, but Raven stuck to her story about coming home to visit family, and that was that. Now she was standing in the middle of God-knows-where dancing with joy. When Victor opened up his third Chill Grill in San Antonio, he celebrated his booming success by booking a vacation house on a remote island in the Bahamas for his family.

Family, of course, was a loose term when it came to the Baxters. Family didn't necessarily require a blood line or marriage license. You had to be more than just someone with the same name. It was in Chelsea and Eddie that the Baxter extended family came to be. It wasn't until Tonya found herself buying clothes and food for Chelsea and Victor handing Eddie a house key that they realized that they had two kids they never gave birth to. Yet, they were the children of a warm, loving family - other than their biological own.

Much to Eddie's dismay (and, man oh man, he cried like a little girl!), he wasn't able to go on vacation with Chelsea and the Baxters. He had enrolled in summer courses, and there was no way he could miss the last days of classes when finals were creeping up on him like a cloaked skeleton with a scythe. The girls promised to make it up to him any way they possibly could.

Snapping back to reality, Chelsea summoned Raven from her dancing and grinned. She could picture her best friend gyrating her hips in the middle of Sassy's due to the overwhelming excitement of the vacation news. Somewhere into the daydream her heartbeat picked up the pace and her face warmed substantially. As of late, she had been having unsettling dreams about her and Raven. She was ready to chalk it up to her just missing her best friend, but the day Raven landed in California, Chelsea's dreams became incredibly vivid almost to the point where she could feel the sensations from her dreams. She had an idea about what it could be, but she wouldn't admit it. Not even to Eddie. She knew for so long that she loved her best friend as more than a best friend, but now it was starting to get the better of her, and she had no idea how to stop the momentum.

"CHELSEA!" Raven turned the phone to her face and yelled directly into the mic. "EARTH TO CHELSEA! COME BACK TO ME!" The psychic could feel eyes on her from every angle, but she didn't care. She needed her best friend's attention and she needed it now.

"Yea! I'm sorry, Rae." Chelsea sighed. "Let me get these kids back into town and shower. I'll call you when I'm done."

"Ok, girl. Call me as soon as you're nearby! Maybe we can hit the mall for some last minute shopping."

Chelsea hesitated for a moment pondering the situation. She smirked knowing her best friend all too well. "Rae, you're there already aren't you? I imagine you're in line waiting to pay. Judging by the cheesy back ground music I'd say you were in Sassy's."

Dead silence on the other end.

"I rest my case. Take your time at the mall, I'll swing by tonight and you can help me wrap my head around how you're sweeping me away to some getaway without thinking it through." The redhead stared dreamily at her surroundings.

Still a little shocked by Chelsea's precise description of where she was and what she was doing, Raven only muttered "Ok" before hanging up the phone and advancing in the line.

When the call ended, Chelsea stopped playing it cool and threw herself back on her sleeping bag kicking and squealing. She'd be going away on vacation with Raven for a whole week! A whole week? Oh man! A whole week! With the way her emotions had been working double time, she realized that maybe going away would open a few doors… and a couple of cans of worms. Still, she was more excited than anything to be on a tropical get away with her favorite person in the whole world. Who could really ask for anything more?

_You could…_

_I could?_

_Don't be so modest, Red. _

_You want it and you want it bad._

_It?_

_Her._

_Her? _

_Don't play stupid either._

_I guess…_

Her mind had been playing tricks with her all summer long, but Chelsea really couldn't shake the voices from her head. Every so often she'd make excuses for these new feelings that weren't exactly new, but reoccurring. Every so often her mind would snap back like a rubber band stretched to its limit with the painful truth. She was head over heels in love with her best friend, and there was no turning back. Then again, the only true doubt she could grasp was that she wasn't sure what kind of love it could be. She flashed back to a conversation she had with Raven shortly after the incident where her and her and Eddie had tried to date.

_"I don't know, Chels. When I think of it, Eddie is the perfect guy. I just didn't feel the magic when we kissed. I felt bad, but I'm glad we were able to look past it. In my vision, though, I felt as if I loved him more than anything in the world. I felt as if the love we had for each other transcended everything I've ever felt for anyone I ever loved. When I think about it now, I think I was in love with the idea of being in love with someone I already loved. Do you get me? You probably don't"_

_Raven laughed softly, knowing her best friend didn't catch on quickly. Giving Chelsea a couple of seconds to let that thought register she continued_

"_Then again… could it have been the idea of being in love with our friendship so much that I blurred the line between platonic friends and lovers and tried to justify how I was feeling? Whatever the case, it's in the past now and I'm just glad I was able to experience it. It was way different than being with Devon, that's for sure."_

Chelsea remembered feeling a twinge of jealousy when Raven said that. Though she had said it absentmindedly, it still bugged Chelsea to think that she wasn't Raven's number one

As of late, her dreams were completely overtaken by the very idea of being with Raven, seeing her, talking to her, touching her, kissing her. It all fell into place like it was completely natural to fall for your best friend of practically all your life and have a happy ever after. Well, I guess it would make sense if it were a more conventional love. Then again, Chelsea never felt threatened by the idea of loving another woman. She lived in San Francisco and she had gay relatives. She lived in New York City for chrissakes! If anything, she was _over_exposed to gay life.

Pulling herself up off the grass she turned to her campers who had sat around to witness her go completely girly when she finally took a moment to indulge in her happiness of being able to go on vacation with Rae. Smiling softly she nodded her head. "You all get dressed and be back here for breakfast in half an hour!"

Turning back to face the rising sun, Chelsea smiled to herself. This vacation couldn't have come at a better time. She'd take full advantage of having Raven stranded on an island with no way of escaping. "No escape, Rae. I'm coming to get you." The redhead turned again and walked towards the showers.

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**A/N: Whatev, just keep reading. I've barely scratched the surface ******


	2. The Psychic and the Dreamer

**Do I have to put this at the beginning of every chapter? Ok I'm going to copy and paste it from this point forward so don't think you're reading the same chapter over and over again! I don't own That's So Raven! The characters and title belong to their respective companies. Yep. Moving right along…**

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Pulling her keys out of the ignition, Raven popped the trunk of her car and pulled several bags out of her car before heading over to the stairs when her head slightly dipped and came back revealing a wide eyed stare indicating she was being pulled into a vision: 

_**Chelsea's eyes were glued to the horizon as she seemed to be standing on a very tall cliff overlooking some of the most breathtaking scenery that Raven could see. The girl looked rather smug as she spoke.**_

"_**That is one promise I intend to spend the rest of my life making sure you keep, Rae."**_

_**She then turned slowly, leaning into Raven for what seemed like a kiss…**_

Snapping out of it, she realized that she dropped her bags at her ankles and was flexing her fingers anticipating grabbing something else. Her mind wandered to her visions of the past few days. They hadn't been Raven's normal mayhem-inducing visions, but more precise and accurate accounts of incidents where she indulged in covering Chelsea's body with kisses from head to toe. She picked up her bags, and climbed the steps to her house. Whizzing past her parents and brother she headed downstairs to her bedroom which (thank the lord) was still the way she left it, post-college-move.

For the first time in her life (or at least remember) she had a vision while she was asleep. Or was it? It seemed as if she were in a mind that was not her own. Though in her own body, she was venturing into someone else's subconscious territory and viewing their life on screen almost like that time when Dr. Sleevemore made a house call to the Baxter residence to help Raven with her visions. If she had to describe it to someone on the outside, she would say it was like being in a movie theater in someone else's head. Feeling confused about the whole situation, she called her grandmother for advice.

Viv, as she preferred her grandchildren to refer to her as, was still spunky in her old age and was always there to help Raven get through the most confusing of her psychic experiences. Her grandmother hadn't experienced such an incident in her life, but she had heard accounts from other psychics in her family who had the same thing happen to them. It seemed, to Viv, that these visions that Raven had been having were bred of a desire that she could not yet understand. In her subconscious mind, she knew every single detail of what it was she wanted, but in her conscious mind it was completely lost on her.

Instead of fighting it, the young psychic decided to embrace it because it wasn't really hurting her. She felt weird intruding on what seemed to be Chelsea's dreams, but it made her understand a little more about her best friend. It seemed that her awkward, nature-freak, borderline vegan headcase of a best friend was lusting for something other than world peace these days. It would be the first time she saw Chelsea face to face since she had peered into her dreams. Funny, but she did not feel uncomfortable about it at all. Raven wasn't one to dwell on minor technicalities like, oh say, race, creed or (gasp!) gender. She loved her best friend on so many levels that if Chelsea walked up to her and asked her to make love to her on any normal day, she could see herself being happily willing to oblige.

Still, she did have a bit of a war going on in her head. Why was she so nonchalant about this?! Shouldn't this be awkward or confusing or, at least, worthy of some kind of thought? She couldn't imagine why she would be so happy as to make love to her best friend until she turned to her vanity. Peering into her mirror she took a moment to check herself out. Content that she looked damn good she went back to staring for a deeper meaning. Everything she's ever done has been for the betterment of herself and her best friends and family. Whether she showed it or not, Raven never made an action unless she thought the reaction would be a positive one. Sometimes she got lost in herself, but she was grateful that she had an amazing support network to help her find her way out.

No matter how far back she thought, something always brought her back to Chelsea. She was there from beginning to end. When they both moved to New York to pursue their college educations, Raven was so overjoyed knowing that her and Chelsea would never miss a beat. Once they got there, things changed. Her best friend was pursuing two majors while Raven's schooling was a walk in the park, really. With the exception of the computer programs she would have to learn to use to be a successful designer, fashion came to her as natural as air in her lungs. Something else came naturally to her, though, but it was no longer as prominent. Chelsea's studies kept her from spending as much time with Raven as she used to. Sometimes Raven would spend hours in the library sitting in silence with Chelsea as she studied, just wanting to spend time with her best friend any way she could. Every so often Chelsea would peer up from her laptop, the glow from her screen casting a pale blue onto her face. She still looked more beautiful than anything Raven had ever seen.

It was then that something clicked in Raven's head. She was determined to do two things. She was determined to show Chelsea her appreciation for all the years of unconditional love that she had showed her, and she was more than determined to keep her best friend in her life until the day she left this earth. When it came to companionship, no one could ever add up to Chelsea. When it came to a perfect love, no one could even try to compare to her. This was it. Raven was blurring that line between platonic friends and lovers again, but this time it was absolutely logical in its entirety. Raven was completely in love with her best friend and she couldn't be more excited about it.

Best of all, she wouldn't have to worry about how Chelsea felt because she already knew!

Still, she wasn't all about being impulsive and blurting it out. She was going on vacation with her, and there was going to be more rocking than hammocks and leaves in the island breeze.

Loud music broke the silence. Raven peered down at her cell phone. She didn't have to check the caller ID. It could only be one of two people.

"Rrrrraven Baxter speaking!" she struck a pose for no one in particular. Her room was empty, after all.

"Hey Rae! I'm on my way home! What's for dinner at your place? My mom's on a wheatgrass kick, and I love that stuff but I'm a little tired of it." Chelsea sounded cheerful.

Raven climbed the stairs to the kitchen, took a long look at her father, a long look at the pot, another look at her father, sniffed and then looked at her father again. "Meat." Raven said monotone.

"Raven! We eat meat in this house!" Victor countered.

"Not all of us…" She narrowed her hazel eyes, yet they still glistened.

Sighing in defeat, Victor opened the oven to show Raven that a vegetable quiche was baking.

Signature smirk in full effect, Raven turned on her heel and headed back downstairs. "Your favorite! What time can I expect you to grace my presence with your sunny disposition?"

"Around seven. I have to pack for our impromptu vacation."

Raven then uttered two words that set the tone for the rest of the week (and the rest of this story :p) "Pack light". She hung up the phone before Chelsea could respond.

Completely shocked, the phone slipped from her hand into her lap as she applied more pressure to the gas. "Come on, Friday!!!". The porcelain beauty let the wind whip through her hair as she sped down the highway with the top down on her (parent's) convertible into the mid day sun.

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**A/N: I had initially planned to send them to some remote island off of the coast of Australia when I thought it would be better to send them somewhere I was familiar with. Andros Island is the biggest island in the Bahamas. It's nothing like I described it. It's relatively deserted and the least populated. The houses are made of cement blocks and stone slabs. It's really primitive, but there is an untouched beauty about that island that really blew my American breath away. We take so much for granted when we see things like that. I went there for a school trip when I used to live in the Bahamas. There is a MASSIVE marine biology lab on the island. It's wonderful -**

**Other than that. I have several more of the chapters completed, but I'm holding off on uploading them until I get some time to skim through them one or two more times. Hope you're enjoying thus far!**

**-Dynna Chae**


	3. Mile High

**Do I have to put this at the beginning of every chapter? Ok I'm going to copy and paste it from this point forward so don't think you're reading the same chapter over and over again! I don't own That's So Raven! The characters and title belong to their respective companies. Yep. Moving right along…**

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It felt like decades before Friday rolled around. By the time it came, Chelsea and Raven had already packed, unpacked, re-packed, switched suitcases, unpacked, re-packed, overloaded, cut down and then started from scratch all over again. By 12:49 a.m. Friday morning, Raven and Chelsea sealed their suitcases for the final time. As not to be inspired to try it again, they put their bags by the door next to the rest of the family's. They had only collapsed into bed for what felt like seconds when a sudden rapping came at Raven's bedroom door.

"Please let it be a bad dream. Please let it be an old, rattling pipe. Please let it be anything other than…"

"Rise and shine, girls! Breakfast is on the table and we have a 7 a.m. flight to catch! Let's move out!" Victor sang.

Groaning, Raven turned to face her clock. It was 4:45 in the morning, and she couldn't believe she was conscious. She thought to get angry before she realized she was sleeping beside Chelsea. She looked so peaceful curled up under Raven's arm. She dared not move for a moment, taking in the beauty that was resting in such a serene manner. Exhaling slowly, she detached herself from Chelsea and prepped herself for the long trip.

By 6:30 a.m. everyone was checked in except for Raven who had lagged behind getting caught up in the airport shops. Chelsea got lost in her fascination with the planes coming and going that she ended up tailing Victor, Tonya and Cory all the way to the gate without waiting for her partner in crime. When they announced boarding, Victor stood on his tip-toes with his cell phone to his ear looking for any sign of Raven.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a blur of blue and bling. Had he not known his daughter's amazing ability to sprint in pumps he would've assumed it was some other crazy woman dashing past her gate. Of course, she invoked security's suspicion, as they were hot on her heels. Who runs through an airport these days? Finally catching up at a corner, two very large guards grabbed Raven by her arms.

"Woah! Put me down! I'm going to miss my flight!" Raven kicked, her legs now hovering a foot above the ground. "Put…me… down!!!" She started kicking harder.

"Just a moment, ma'am." One of the guards said in his gruff voice. "We're just doing our job. No matter where your flight is, running the way you are is going to raise a few brows."

"RAVEN!" Victor finally caught up with her. Completely winded, he bent over grabbing his knees and trying to collect himself. "It's ok! She's my daughter!"

The guards looked at each other and then looked at her.

"Alright! You can let me down now!" Raven was starting to lose her temper.

Without thinking, both men simply released their grip sending the dark haired girl tumbling to the ground. "GENTLY!" she looked up at them with discontent. Pulling herself off the ground, she linked arms with her father who had finally gained the energy to stand upright and pulled him towards their gate. "Come on, dad! We're going to miss our flight!"

Tonya met Victor and Raven at the end of the carpeting in the gate. She was tapping her foot out of nervousness, hoping the two wouldn't get left behind. Chelsea stood directly behind Tonya leaning over her a little when she saw Raven and her father screech to a halt right in front of them. Raven's mother jumped backwards connecting her head with Chelsea's nose. "Oh! Ouch!" Tonya apologized.

Chelsea checked for blood before anything else. Once she realized she wasn't bleeding she went into hysterics. "Owow ow owowowowowwwww!" She held her nose.

Raven went to her rescue as Victor, Tony and Cory headed towards the boarding gate.

"How bad does it hurt, Chels?" Her friend seemed concerned.

"I'll live, but how will I ever smell again?" The red head whined.

Raven cocked her head to the side in confusion. Deciding to just let it go, they picked up their carry on bags and approached the gate.

"Well hello, lackey! It's been a while! Did Donna finally fire you??" Raven's whole body froze as she turned to the attendant.

Narrowing her eyes, she clenched her teeth and growled low. "Evan…" She seethed. If looks could kill, she could've killed off an entire generation of Evan's relatives.

Now Chelsea was the one cocking her head in confusion. Still holding her nose, she stepped in closer sensing there could possibly be an altercation.

Raven held her hand up for Chelsea to stop advancing. She turned to look at her friend, and lightened her expression. "When I used to intern for Donna, I would have to drop her off and pick her up from the airport. Evan was always there to make sure we had as much trouble as possible."

"Ru-uuude!" was Chelsea's only reply, still pinching the bridge of her nose though the pain had subsided minutes ago.

Smiling brightly at Chelsea, she spun around as her smile faded and a look of indifference spread across her beautiful features. "I see you still have an at-ti-tudinal problem! Honestly! A man with this many years under your belt…" Her look changed to one of enlightenment as if she had discovered something she had been pondering "…I'd imagine you'd have been PRO-MO-TED by now! I guess you should work on your people skills." She nodded sympathetically.

Evan gasped, but Raven didn't give him time to reply. She raised her hand high in the air, snapping her fingers twice she pointed an elegant finger toward the plane and strutted down the walkway with her hand high in the air.

Behind her, Chelsea snapped her fingers twice in Evan's face with her free hand, rolled her head around her shoulders with the bridge of her nose still pinched and strutted off in the same manner which her best friend had just departed."

Finally on the plane, Raven and Chelsea settled into their seats. Raven begged for the window. Her compromise was that Chelsea could have it coming back.

"Raaaaven!" A woman appeared in the aisle, her silver wing pin reflecting the light.

The hazel-eyed girl looked up from her Air Mall magazine and stared right into the bright blue eyes of a very happy looking woman. Suddenly, a smile spread across her face as she realized who it was… "GRACE!" Raven sat up and reached for her hand.

"Wow, you're pretty popular at the airport, Rae!" Chelsea's hand was starting to get sore from all the nose pinching.

Grace grinned. "Oh she's more than famous here, she's IN-famous!" The attendant lowered her voice. "Look, I'm working first class today. You and your friend should come keep me company. We're pulling away from the gate in a few minutes and the doors are closed. We have two open seats. What do you say?"

"Count us IN!" Raven scream-whispered. She turned to Chelsea. "Are you down?"

"What are we waiting for?!" Chelsea unbuckled her belt with her free hand, and stood waiting for Raven to pass her.

As the two girls made their way towards the front of the plane, Raven mouthed "first class" to her parents and winked. They waved a dismissive hand and went back to reading.

As they got to the divider, Raven turned quickly causing Chelsea to bump into her. She looked her best friend lovingly in the eyes before she gently placed her hand over the hand Chelsea was using to pinch her bridge and brought it down to her side. "Let… go…" she nodded. Adjusting her clothes, she pushed back the curtain to heaven.

Comfy cozy in the cushioned seats of first class, Grace placed warm blankets in their hands and headphones. "Thanks for keeping me company!" She whispered.

"Oh I so owe you!" The psychic beamed.

"Look, besides for the entertainment you always provided while you transported Donna Cabonna, you convinced Donna to design a dress for me. How much more could I ask for?" Grace was now leaning against Raven's chair. She was very close to the girl's face when she spoke in a low voice, "Then again, I can think of one or two ways you can make it up to me…"

Chelsea could see Raven's eyes flicker with mischief. She perked her ears, while she gripped the arm rest tightly.

"How about we get this baby to a couple thousand feet, and I'll take you the rest of the way." Raven turned to face Grace, raising an eyebrow.

The red head's jaw fell open so quickly that if it wasn't attached it would have fallen though the floor of the plane.

Sensing the jealousy, well the heat actually, that was radiating off of Chelsea, Raven pulled back. She leaned with her back against Chelsea slowly raising her hand to close the girl's mouth for her. "Well when will you show me pictures of that _wedding _dress Donna designed for you." Putting emphasis on "wedding" so that Chelsea would register it.

Catching the hint, Grace placed a finger in the air to pause the conversation. "As soon as I take care of these passengers". She excused herself and walked down the aisle to take care of someone who had pressed the service button.

Now fully aware that Raven was pressing her body into hers, Chelsea relaxed a little. "Well!" She began "That was interesting!" The jealousy was very evident in her voice.

"Oh she's just playing. She married her college sweet heart the summer we graduated. I couldn't make it to the wedding, but I heard the dress I begged Donna to design for her came out beautifully." Raven smiled proudly. "I helped with the design."

"Really?" Chelsea inquired. "How come you didn't go to the wedding?"

Raven turned to face her. "I wanted to help you pack for your move to New York." She held Chelsea's hand.

The red head's heart melted instantly as if butter was just thrown into a hot pan. "You didn't have to."

"I wanted to."

"You're amazing, you know that?"

"I've been told" Raven sniffed and popped her collar.

"I wish I could show you how amazing you are" Chelsea said sadly.

Raven gazed directly into Chelsea's eyes and took her hand. "You do every day."

The two drifted off to sleep hand in hand.

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**A/N: Raven makes too many faces IRL. It's a lot to type lol.**


	4. Island Gyals

**Do I have to put this at the beginning of every chapter? Ok I'm going to copy and paste it from this point forward so don't think you're reading the same chapter over and over again! I don't own That's So Raven! The characters and title belong to their respective companies. Yep. Moving right along…**

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Two planes and one very long boat ride later, the Baxters (and Chelsea) albeit tired, stared in wide-eyed awe at the island. It stretched much farther than the eye could see, but they spotted their lodging as soon as they put their feet on the warm sand. Cory was the first to snap out of the trance. 

"All the money in the world couldn't…" He began

"…compare to this…" Raven finished for him.

Their house sat atop a large cliff overlooking the island. It was an American 70's style house resting comfortably upon a thick, yet manicured, bed of lawn. From the distance, the house seemed to be glowing. It was actually the sunlight bouncing off of the glass panels that went around the perimeter of the house. There was a small rock wall going around the house, but it seemed to go on forever. This wall marked all the land that was theirs for the week. They had the freedom to party, bbq, sun bathe and overindulge on this land. It was theirs for the taking and they were anxious to have it.

Victor turned to his family with pride. "So! What do you think??" He held his hand out for the family to, once again, take in all that they were standing on.

"Mama likes…" Tonya moved forward slowly.

"Wow, Mr. B! You totally surprised us!" Chelsea couldn't blink. Her eyes were darting left and right.

"What are we waiting for?!" Raven slung her bag over her shoulder and grabbed Chelsea's hand. "Let's go!" She smiled so hard she thought she was going to pull a muscle in her face.

In her thoughts, though, she was a little more calm. She was contemplating the inevitable. She knew she had one chance to do this right because it still wasn't guaranteed that things could go the way Chelsea's dreams and her visions had depicted them. Raven knew best of all that her visions were not always what they seemed. On top of that, she was well aware that dreams are never what they appear to be. She had to be incredibly careful. Her friendship was on the line.

"_I have to play this cool. Should I tell her tonight? No, no. That's way too quickly. Maybe I should hold off a few days. I should find the perfect time and location while we're touring. Once I find the spot, I'll put the rest in place. Now where is that mall?"_

The dark haired girl walked slowly looking around for the mall. Love was on the brain, but shopping tends to trump a lot of things in Raven's head. Since she knew there was nothing she could do about talking to Chelsea right here and now, she opted to memorize the way to the mall so she could get there without trouble.

Chelsea's fingers were intertwined in Raven's. She chatted idly with her best friend about where the mall could be, but her mind was anywhere but on the mall.

"_This is it, Red. You two are on the island, and there's absolutely no way you're leaving without the 'talk' with Rae. She's cool. She'll totally understand even if she doesn't feel the same way about me. After all, she's the one who taught me about the different types of love. Man, she looks incredible in those shades. Ooh! Observatory and marine biology lab! I sooooo have to check that out!"_

The girls realized that they lagged way behind. Victor turned around and smiled at his two girls. Raven's eyes reminded him of Christmas morning back when Raven and Cory were very young. The way her eyes sparkled seemed child-like and innocent. Little did he know what kind of thoughts were really running through her head. He smiled to himself before speaking up. "Hey you two. Leave your bags with us and go explore a little bit. This road leads straight to the house. I have to stop off in the rental office and pick up our house keys, so take some time looking around. Meet us up at the house, ok?" He decided to give them a little time to themselves. Taking Tonya's hand in his own and resting an arm on Cory's shoulder, he guided his family to the rental office down the path.

The girls didn't hesitate to hand off their suitcases to the family as they thanked them and took off down the road in search of their own adventure.

"So what do you think, Chels? We hit the jackpot! This island is beautiful!" Raven cooed.

"This is nuts, Rae! I read that this island isn't very populated, but it's the biggest island of the Bahamas. They have all kinds of stuff for us to do!" Chelsea's head was still darting left and right. She spotted a few gazebos on a beach, a high observation deck on the cliffs, a restaurant on the other side of the island that had an incredible view. She could tell the ambiance was perfect for the mood she needed to set.

Raven's eyes fell on the restaurant as well, but she thought it would be awkward to start confessing her love in a restaurant full of people. She wanted it to be something personal and comfortable. Her eyes surveyed the whole area before she saw a sign that seemed to make all her worries fade. It was an ad for a romantic couple's boat ride around the island. They would be escorted around the entire island on a private yacht where they could speak in peace. It was perfect! Now she just had to find the right time to take the trip to the rest of her life.

"WELCOME to Andros Island!" Came a voice behind them.

Raven was the first to turn towards the voices. Chelsea merely looked over her shoulder wondering who was invading on her private time. She turned completely when she realized two tall, bronzed incredibly gorgeous men were addressing the two girls. The darker girl went to break on her grip on the lighter girl's hand when she felt the grip suddenly tighten. Chelsea connected eyes with Raven for a brief second before she let go of her best friend's hand and smiled sweetly at the men.

"Wow! I thought it was something to see from the back, but you two are breath taking from the front as well!" The other guy spoke up. "I'm Ethro and this is my brother Ravanno." The two men closed the gap between them and the girls and smiled again. "What are your names?"

Raven spoke up first. "I'm Raven, and this is my best friend Chelsea." She smiled. "Nice to meet you."

"Raven and Ravanno. Sounds good together" Ravanno laughed.

The girls both realized this wasn't going to be a casual meeting.

"Well, gentlemen. We have to be on our way." Raven spoke up. "We should be heading back to the house now, but it was a pleasure to meet you. We'll see you around the island!"

This time Chelsea took the initiative. She nodded slightly to the men to bid them adieu and grabbed Raven's arm, pulling her down the path. "It hasn't even been half an hour, and you're working your magic, Rae" the red head laughed.

"Oh please, girl!" Raven laughed. "I'm not even trying to get involved with a guy I'll never see again. Then again… that does have its perks…" She looked thoughtful.

Chelsea's face turned from one of amusement to one of shock. "Raven Baxter!"

Raven laughed. "I'm kidding!" she joked.

"_I'm half-way taken, Chels" _she thought.

The girls made their way back to the house to catch up with the rest of the family.

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**A/N: My ex boyfriend's (spew) name is Ravanno. We lived on Grand Bahama island, though… not Andros. Ethro is the name of another student I went to school with. I opted to use his brother's name, but his name is pain to pronounce (Ezron). Which is why even our principal used to call him "Ez" or "Ezzy"? Really… who wants a name that sounds like a gas station anyway? Maybe that's why he was such a horrible student. God, I hope he never reads this, lol!**

**Oh yea. The story's coming together, don't worry. Conflict will arise soon enough!**


	5. Moonlight under the influence

**Do I have to put this at the beginning of every chapter? Ok I'm going to copy and paste it from this point forward so don't think you're reading the same chapter over and over again! I don't own That's So Raven! The characters and title belong to their respective companies. Yep. Moving right along…**

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Night fell upon Andros island, and everything that took them by awe in the daylight took them by awe all over again in the night sky. The moon bathed over the entire island giving it a very serene look. Beneath the house, waves crashed against the base of the cliff. In the four bedroom house, only three of the bedrooms had been occupied. Raven and Chelsea had already resolved to sleep in the same room from the second they got to the island. It was nice to have a big room to oneself, but they were more adamant about spending all the time they possibly could together. 

Raven lay across the bed. Her long, wavy hair spilled across the pillow in all directions. Chelsea was taking forever in the shower so she took a moment to shoot Eddie an email from her phone.

"_Hey, Ed! It's BEAUTIFUL out here! You should see this place! Actually, I'm attaching pics so don't worry. You'll get to see it for yourself. I wish you were here. Chels and I are going to go explore the nightlife in a couple of minutes… well maybe hours if Chelsea insists on taking an hour and a half to shower. Hit me back when you get this. Miss you! Love you!_

_Rae"_

Almost instantly, her phone vibrated with an email alert. "Fast!" She whispered as she opened Eddie's reply email.

"_Rae!_

_I miss you GIRL! Still, you don't need to go rubbing salt in my wounds! Have a blast for me! Oh, did you tell her yet? Holla back!_

_Eddie"_

The girl hit "reply" on her phone, her fingers going a mile a minute.

"_Edward!_

_These things take time!! Patience is a virtue, my man! There's a boat ride with our name on it in the future, and I didn't even have to have a vision to see that. Well, yea I did visualize it, but it was because it was an ad on a board… wait I'm rambling. Chels is coming out of the bathroom. I'll catch you later, babe!_

_Rae"_

From the mist pouring out of the bathroom, Raven could see that Chelsea was already ready. She looked incredible! She sported a pair of Bermuda shorts with a burnout tee and a vest over it. She accessorized it perfectly with a string of beads and a matching bangle. Her hair was cascading down her back in loose curls. Her makeup was light and natural. Had Raven already not been dressed, that was probably an outfit she'd have probably picked out for herself. She had to talk herself down from confessing right then and there.

Chelsea slipped into her sandals and glanced up at Raven with playful brown eyes. "Are you ready?"

"Pssh! Shhhyea!" Raven tried to play it cool even though she was sweating a little. "Finally!" The girl grabbed her copy of the house key and tucked it into her pocket book.

The girls made their way towards the front of the house. Raven stopped off in the common area to check her makeup once more before turning to her family. "We're going to explore. Don't wait up for us!"

"See you later Mr. B, Mrs. B!" Chelsea chimed in.

"Don't do anything wouldn't do!" Tonya replied.

As they descended the steps Raven turned to Chelsea. "So what should we do?"

The two girls thought for a couple of minutes.

"Well there's a moonlight boat tour…" Chelsea placed a finger to her lips.

"And I saw a sign for a show starting in about half an hour." Raven thought hard, narrowing her eyes.

"The beach looks awfully pretty in the moonlight." Chelsea sounded like she really wasn't interested in that option.

"I think there are still some shops open" Raven almost laughed at herself.

The two girls stopped at the bottom of the steps and turned to the lit tiki torches a little of a ways down the road. They looked at each other as the same exact smile spread across their face.

"The Bar!" they sang in unison.

They pushed on full-force to the bar entrance where Chelsea paused suddenly. "We're only 20." She whispered.

Raven scanned the outdoor bar. "I really don't think it matters, Chels. There's no security in sight. On islands like these, they cater to college students."

"Really?" Chelsea looked a little suspicious.

"Just act casual." Raven smoothed out her clothes and walked in with confidence.

They took a seat at the bar. A thin, middle-aged man approached them with a smile on his face. He was drying a glass with a towel. "What can I get the two most beautiful women in the bar tonight?"

"Flattery gets you everywhere!" Raven mused. "Dirty Ketel One martini. On the rocks. Extra dirty please."

Chelsea's brow furrowed with curiosity. She didn't know her best friend was such a knowledgeable drinker. "Tanq and Tonic with an extra twist of lime and a splash of cran." She feigned innocence in her voice.

"You ladies are going to give me a challenge tonight!" The bartender laughed and left to prepare their drinks.

"And when did you become an aficionado of alcohol?" Raven wagged her finger at Chelsea.

"We have sadistic study sessions. You get an answer wrong, you drink." She looked a little shy all of a sudden. "And you?"

Raven smirked. "Two years of fag hagging in the New York City club scene will teach you a thing or two about drinking quality liquor. 9 a.m. pattern making classes are no fun with a cheap liquor hangover."

By the time their conversation ended, their drinks were set on the bar. They toasted to friendship and took the first sip.

"Well?" The older man looked hopeful. "How did I do?"

"Perfect!" The girls chirped. "How much do we owe you?" Raven started to reach for her purse.

The man put his hands up to stop her. "Your drinks are on those two gentlemen over there. They have instructed me to put all your drinks for the evening on their tab."

Raven could feel the chill run up her spine. Chelsea finally took a stronger interest in religion as she prayed to any god listening that it wouldn't be who she thought it would be. As the two girls leaned on their seats to look around the bartender, Chelsea's prayers weren't heard quickly enough because there sat Ravanno and Ethro waving.

Not wanting to be rude, the two girls raised their glasses to show their gratitude. Just then Ravanno and Ethro slid off their bar stools and made their way to the two girls across the way. Raven and Chelsea slammed their glasses down on the bar and turned to each other whispering at lightning speed.

"I don't want to hang out with them all night!" Raven's eyes went wide with worry.

"Maybe we should just tell them to back off!" Chelsea was almost in a panic.

"Well, I don't want to be rude about it. How are we ever going to…" Raven began.

"THANK YOU!" Chelsea sat up and flashed a big smile. "How could we ever thank you for such a kind gesture?"

Raven's looked confused for half a second. Then she sat up and turned her chair around. "Oh! Yea! You really didn't have to do that. We have your next round!"

"Oh that's no problem, ladies. Why don't you just dance with us instead?"

"We just started our drinks. I think we'll down the first round before we work the dance floor." Raven pointed to her drink. "How about we come find you?" She was talking faster than she was thinking, hoping it would make sense.

"Sounds good. We'll see you two later." Just then, Ravanno swept in and caught Raven's hand in his own. He gently kissed the back of her hand and winked.

Chelsea leaned her head on Raven's shoulder. In a mocking tone she sang "You have a boy-friend!" Knowing that even though she was incredibly jealous, Raven wasn't interested in Ravanno.

"Can it, Red!" Raven huffed. She wiped off the back of her hand and turned back to her drink. "Here's to tonight." She finished her martini in one, swift gulp only to find that Chelsea had done the same.

Feeling the heat rise up in her chest, Chelsea exhaled. The heat of her breath blew across Raven's neck. Raven's eyes closed for a moment knowing full well that her own buzz was coming on full force. She nibbled on her bottom lip before doing the only thing that she could to take her mind off of it.

"Another round, please. And WE'LL PAY FOR IT!" She pointed back and forth between herself and her best friend.

Oh the wonders of alcohol and the effects they have on people! Though the two girls were pretty well versed in the art of liquor consumption for being only twenty, their obvious drunkenness was evident on the dance floor. Raven kept the beat pretty well, but Chelsea was all over the place. They were having fun and they didn't care. Calling their limit a few minutes before, they decided to dance it off on the dance floor.

When Beyonce's "Get Me Bodied" blasted through the speakers, Raven could feel a pair of strong hands place themselves on her waist. From behind her, Ravanno followed her sway. She whipped around so fast her hair hit Chelsea in the face. Her hazel eyes locked eyes with another pair of hazel eyes.

"How about that dance?" Ravanno whispered into her ear.

Raven was going to protest when she looked over her shoulder to see that Chelsea was practically climbing up Ethro's leg in some sort of bizarre dance she had never seen her best friend do. She narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

"_I could get jealous or stop her or care, but she's going to kick herself in the ass tomorrow anyway, so who am I to keep someone from learning their lesson?"_ Raven thought.

"I'd be delighted to, Ravanno." Raven slurred and took his hand. They danced through a couple of songs before her legs were starting to hurt. She turned to find her best friend who was still dancing with Ethro, yet looking at her. Chelsea's eyes widened, but Raven couldn't figure out what she was surprised about. She turned her head and was caught lip-to-lip with Ravanno. He had bent over to try and kiss Raven. That's what was causing Chelsea's alarm.

The shock took precedence first, causing Raven not to move. Thinking that she wasn't resisting, Ravanno wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. After shock wore off, anger seethed through her veins. She dug her nails into Ravanno's chest and pushed him back a good foot.

"Don't… even…" She held a finger up to keep him from getting closer.

Pivoting, she stormed out of the bar, grabbing Chelsea's hand on the way out. Her best friend jogged behind her as Raven's walking speed was twice Chelsea's jogging speed. The girls, still very much drunk, made their way back up to the house.

"Wow, Rae!" Chelsea finally broke the silence. "I thought you weren't interested." She sounded a little disappointed.

"Come on, Chels! Do you really think I'm going to kiss some guy I don't even know?" Raven sounded insulted.

You know how alcohol has a tendency to make you say stupid stuff and act on your emotions at the time? Yea. Chelsea was right there. "Yea. You didn't stop him for a while." Came Chelsea's utterly stupid reply.

The dark haired girl stopped climbing the steps causing Chelsea to stop and think. "Oh wow. I didn't mean that, Rae!"

There was silence. With her back still to Chelsea, Raven continued to climb the stairs to the house without saying a single word. It wasn't until they reached their bedroom that it was evident why Raven had stopped and then continued without talking. Chelsea really hurt her feelings and it had caused Raven to cry. As the psychic attempted to blot out the tears with a folded tissue, Chelsea leaned on the doorframe of the bathroom.

"Rae, I'm so so sorry! I really didn't mean to say it that way!" She said in a sympathetic tone. She felt like she had already ruined the vacation for the both of them.

Raven discarded the tissue before turning to Chelsea with the saddest eyes the girl had ever seen from her best friend. "I don't just kiss anyone." Was all Raven said before pushing past Chelsea and dressing for bed.

After having buttoned her pajama top, Raven lay across the bed. She fiddled with her phone, even though she wasn't particularly using it. Just then, Chelsea placed a cool, damp cloth over Raven's eyes and took the phone from the girl's hands. Placing it on the night stand table lay her body perpendicular to Raven's and rest her head on the girl's stomach.

"Talk to me." The red head pleaded.

"What do you think… a kiss means to a man and what it means to a woman?" Raven mumbled. At least she was a thoughtful drunk. Always better than being a crying drunk.

Chelsea thought for a second. "I don't know. I've never kissed a woman, Rae."

"Well…" Raven pulled the cloth from her eyes. "I don't think you have to kiss another woman to know if you are already a woman, Chels. I think… to a man, a kiss is just an indication that he's interested in you and would like to pursue you… or at least sleep with you. To a woman, it's different. A kiss is a promise. It's always a promise. And even women who sleep around or are not looking for love make some sort of a promise in their kiss. If I'm going to kiss someone. I'm going to make them a promise in that kiss. It's up to that person to understand that promise. Do you understand me?" Raven spoke clearly and calmly.

"Yea. I never thought about it that way, Rae. I don't think you would ever just kiss anyone. I guess I got a little caught up in myself." Chelsea sighed.

"I have one promise in my head and I have it for one person and one person alone." Raven felt her resolves melting. She was about to jump the gun and confess. "I will make that promise to…"

"GIRLS! So! Tell me! What did you do?" Tonya practically threw the door off its hinges causing Raven and Chelsea to leap a mile off the bed.

Tonya sat on the bed next to the two girls who were holding their hearts to keep them from beating out of their chests. "Tell me everything!" She was so beside herself.

"Thanks for sobering us up, mom." Raven's eyes were wide.

"Oh you went to a bar, huh? How was it? Good music? Any food?" Tonya kept going on and on.

"Mom!" Raven grabbed her shoulders. "It was great! We had fun! Why are you so bouncy at three in the morning?!" Raven whisper-yelled.

"Well your father and I decided to try out the local coffee! It's really good!" Tonya rambled so quickly it was hard to understand her.

Raven slapped her forehead.

"Wow, Mrs. B! It's like you're our age again. Even we know better than to OD on coffee so late." Chelsea was clearly amused. Starting to get as bouncy as Tonya.

Raven was grateful for the distracting. Had she even had a second more to speak she'd have ruined everything. Impulsive behavior was not an option. She still didn't know for a fact that Chelsea felt the same way. Rushing into matters like these would only cause trouble. Finally letting herself be amused by her mother's banter, she fed into the conversation.

"Yea, mom! You should know better!" Raven mock-scolded.

"Rae, we drank this coffee at 7 this evening!" Tonya laughed.

"Wow. I need a cup of that in the morning!" Raven gasped.

The three stayed up until the sun rose going on and on about how excited they were to be on the island and how much fun they were going to have. Burning out around six in the morning, the three collapsed onto the king sized bed in Raven and Chelsea's room.

Heaven help them when they finally wake up post-coffee/liquor binging!

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**A/N: Man oh man I gave away some of my bar secrets in here! Raven's right, though. The Bahamas is so lenient about underage drinking that I used to spend the better part of my days at the bar with my cousins. They do this because 1) the crime rate in Bahamas is insanely low. I don't think anyone even owns a gun unless they're licensed to. 2) Tourism is a major source of money for the commonwealth of the Bahamas. If they start denying college kids liquor they might as well sell their island because everyone goes there to party and you don't have to be 21 to party there. Dirty martinis are one of my favorite drinks. I don't down those, though. I live in NY, darn it. At $12 a pop, you're going to go easy on them.**

**Don't mind Raven and Chelsea, I'm the one who is well versed in alcohol. They're saints!**


	6. So Hung Over It

**Do I have to put this at the beginning of every chapter? Ok I'm going to copy and paste it from this point forward so don't think you're reading the same chapter over and over again! I don't own That's So Raven! The characters and title belong to their respective companies. Yep. Moving right along…**

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Saturday morning poured into Raven and Chelsea's balcony glass doors with a vengeance. The three ladies who had passed out only a few hours before were now shielding their eyes from the blinding glare of the sunlight. Tonya was the first to pull herself off the bed. She stretched and turned to wake the two girls. She found them curled up together on the other end of the bed.

Smiling softly to herself, she brushed Raven's hair out of her face and pulled the blankets up around them. Mrs. Baxter was no fool. It was evident that these two women shared a bond that surpassed friendship. What she didn't know is whether they knew that and how Victor would take it. She thought to jump the gun a bit and see what kind of buffer she could offer between Raven and Chelsea's potential love versus Victor's possible shock. Of course, this was all based on assumptions, but Tonya was a protector and a nurturer and a mother above all. She wanted her family to always coexist peacefully. Slipping out of the room quietly, she let the door close behind her and prepared to make breakfast for the family.

There was a rhythmic pulsating pumping from somewhere. It sounded like it was beating from the inside of something, trying to break free. The music played like Tiesto spinning in a basement full of sub-woofers. Somewhere, Raven was being annoyed by this non-stop beating. She could feel herself searching for the sound, but not finding it. Then something dawned in her. The music was playing… inside her head. The pulsating was not trance music, it was her head throbbing. She shut her eyes tightly before opening them slowly. Hello, hangover.

After many attempts, she sat up in bed holding her head. She turned to look for Chelsea, but she was nowhere to be found. The morning bathroom routine moved painfully slow. She finally surfaced from the room with two aspirin and a pair of shades on.

"Good morning, Raven!" Tonya placed a plate in front of her.

The psychic took one look at the mound of food and stumbled off the kitchen stool and sprinted back to her bedroom's bathroom.

"I'm never drinking again!" She groaned as she set her toothbrush back down for the second time in twenty minutes.

"I've heard that before" came a disembodied voice.

Chelsea stepped out of the bath tub with nothing but a towel wrapped around her. Her wet hair dripped down her back as she reached for her brush. "Rae, you ok?" She looked genuinely concerned even though she was feeling a little smug.

"How are you not sick?" Raven reached for her sunglasses.

"I told you, man!" The soaked girl rested her head on Raven's shoulder. "Study sessions are sadistic. I built a pretty good tolerance these past two years."

Feeling a little playful despite her insane hangover, Raven leaned her head against Chelsea's. "Oh, so I leave you to go to a different school and you become an alcoholic?" She was enjoying the closeness of her best friend.

Perhaps it was because she was still a little drunk, but Raven got awfully brazen when she wrapped her arm around Chelsea's waist and pulled her closer. It took Chelsea by surprise for a second, but then she melted into it.

"What else did you learn?" Raven whispered, looking the object of her desire up and down. "We're a train ride apart and sometimes it's like we're worlds away from each other."

Ok… not exactly how Chelsea planned to discuss her latest feelings with Raven, but she'd take it, especially if her lady was opening the door of opportunity right then and there. She paused looking directly into Raven's eyes. The brown-eyed girl decided to test the waters before jumping in. "You just want me to go downtown…" came Chelsea's playful response.

Raven gasped, but then she caught on quickly. Chelsea was talking about the subway. She was talking about the subway…right? Not knowing where to go with this, she decided to put her own play on words into the mix. " It's a smooth ride. You get off faster than you think. There's plenty to do when you get here." Her face was slowly getting closer to Chelsea's until her breath was on the girl's quivering, red lips.

It was then that the towel-clad beauty dropped the ball. "Yea, they have a great gelato shop down there!" Chelsea slipped out of character for a moment.

"Uh…" Raven felt the muscles of her stomach spasm before pushing Chelsea away and retreating for the toilet.

"Note…to…self. Don't mention food for a while." Chelsea sighed in defeat. She felt a little disappointed, but reassured herself that it probably wasn't the right time anyway.

The rest of Saturday was a painful haze for Raven who had learned two lessons. One, party cruise ships have no balancers. You most likely WILL get sea sick if you're prone to sea sickness (or you're really friggin hung over), and two, NEVER go shot for shot with Chelsea Ophelia Daniels.

Saturday evening was relaxing. The family had dinner in a restaurant by the beach. They headed back home and Tonya and Victor crashed into bed almost immediately. Raven was feeling so much better when she sat down into a pool chair and draped her arm across her head. From behind her, Chelsea was carrying a tray of (non-alcoholic) drinks for them. They decided to sit by the pool and chat it up since it was still early.

"Today was so nice, wasn't it?" Chelsea handed Raven a glass of lemonade and leaned back into her own chair.

Raven turned her head to see if Chelsea was serious. To her dismay, she was very serious. "Yea. I guess after I threw my guts up for half the day it was so very nice!"

Chelsea laughed. She did spend the greater majority of the day holding Raven's hair back and handing her towels. Still, she had fun. She hardly ever got to take care of her best friend so when she could, she really took advantage of it. She lowered her eyes to her glass for a moment, watching the dew form in tiny droplets on her glass. She took a deep breath before leaning forward and turning her head to face Raven.

"Rae…" Chelsea became nervous all of a sudden. "…I have something to tell you." She was starting to think that this was, perhaps, not the right time.

Raven had reclined her chair and bit and was resting her head with her eyes closed. In the moonlight she looked like a goddess just laying there. "Hmm?" Was her only reply.

"It's just that… I'm not sure how to say it. It's kinda heavy, you know?" Chelsea nibbled on her bottom lip. She was so captivated by Raven's moonlit beauty.

"Well the best way to say it is to just say it, Chels." Raven hadn't budged even an inch. Then, without warning, she sat at full attention with her eyes fixated. The only thing is, she was staring at absolutely nothing.

Chelsea didn't exactly catch this since she was busy playing with the hem of her shirt. Instead, she fed off of what Raven had said and decided to come out and say it. "Raven… I'm fa…"

"CHELSEA!" Raven shouted. She turned to look at the girl with shock.

"Oh god… did you have a vision, Rae? Of what?" Her mind was racing a mile a minute now. She thought Raven had a vision about Chelsea confessing.

Then Raven's eyes narrowed and suspicion filled her face. She gritted her teeth and reached for the towel that was resting on the table beside her. Without much warning, she swooped down on Chelsea and covered them both.

"CANNON BALL!!!!" Was the only thing Chelsea could hear from under the towel.

When Raven pulled the towel off of them. Cory was breaking the surface of the water with a grin on his face.

"These are SUEDE!" Raven pointed to one of her wet pumps.

Cory shrugged "So? Wipe them off. What's the big deal?"

"You don't…" Raven's temperature was building at record speeds "…just wipe them OFF!"

Chelsea, who had remained silent all this time, had an idea. "Alright, alright. We'll fix Raven's shoes, but show me that cannonball one more time!"

Cory was happy to oblige as he climbed out of the pool and walked back a few yards. Chelsea picked up the now-damp towel that Raven had used to shield them and rolled it quickly as the boy ran by. With a quick flick of the wrist, he snapped the boy right in the behind causing him to trip. He belly flopped into the pool.

"Ssssss oooooh, Cory! You should work on your form!" Chelsea winked and turned to high-five Raven.

"That's what you get, ya nasty!" Raven nodded at Chelsea. "C'mon. We'll go finish our conversation in the room." The young psychic seemed almost anxious.

"No, it's ok." Chelsea looked sad. "It's not important."

Raven hid her disappointment well. "I guess we can keep Cory company then." As she walked back to her pool chair.

"Sure." The red head muttered.

The wheels in both of the girl's heads have been turning. Why is it so difficult to utter three simple words all of a sudden? One of them kept hope alive, but the other was starting to lose faith. Would they ever say it?

**

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**A/N: Dynna Chae here! Hangovers are the worst! All that talk of "downtown" was a double-meaning type of thing. Columbia U is uptown in Spanish Harlem. FIT is downtown on the west side. You'd have to hop a train to get from one place to another. I'd sit here and type out a well thought out note, but then I'd miss That's So Raven because it's coming on in a few minutes. So you guys just hang on for a couple more chapters and I'm going to go geek out in front of my TV screen. ::wavewave::**

**I also realized that I put NYU instead of Columbia in the first chapter. Whoops! It's Columbia, not NYU. That place is wack.**

**P.S. Tiesto is a really well known DJ. He spins trance music. He's awfully good at it, too. If you're into electronica, give him a chance! I once thought I was having a dream where I was in a techno-world, but the bass ended up being my head pounding. When I woke up it was awful****. Don't ever get a sinus infection!**


	7. Heartbreak at High Tide

**Do I have to put this at the beginning of every chapter? Ok I'm going to copy and paste it from this point forward so don't think you're reading the same chapter over and over again! I don't own That's So Raven! The characters and title belong to their respective companies. Yep. Moving right along…**

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By Monday, Raven was at her wits end. Sunday had been one unsuccessful attempt after another to talk to Chelsea. Bedtime was definitely the wrong time to do so. Raven feared that mentioning something that serious while they were in the same bed would be an issue if her best friend was actually not ready to come to terms with her subconscious desires. The young psychic was now clouded with confusion. Chelsea's dreams had been a little vague in the past few nights. They didn't really feature anything. She resolved to no longer peek, feeling that she had gone too far. Perhaps Chelsea just wasn't feeling the same way. Yea, she dreamt it. It doesn't mean anything if it's not in the here and now, though. She spent all of Sunday trying to pry Chelsea from the tourist traps, but she was so consumed by everything she really didn't pay mind to Raven's subtle beckoning.

In Chelsea's mind, she was doing the right thing by avoiding Raven a little. She was trying to sort things out. There was Raven – the one. She was THE ONE, but Chelsea was having all the difficulty in the world expressing that. It seemed that the confidence she once had was fading with the brightness in her eyes. Without looking too obvious, she committed to finding activities no matter how corny or uninteresting they were and giving them her full attention so she wouldn't torment herself about what she thought Raven was thinking.

It's that simple, no?

Pfft. Let's get real, people.

On Tuesday afternoon, everyone decided to head down to the beach for some sun. Victor actually found himself at a local restaurant trading recipes with another chef. They hit it off and, much to Tonya's discontent, Victor spent the rest of the afternoon learning how to make the perfect conch salad. Tonya, who had become fascinated with a novel she bought for the plane trip, was another lost case. She parked herself on her towel with a portable radio, sun block and her book. While Cory scanned the beach for the local island girls, Chelsea had walked along the water until she came upon a group of marine biologists who were checking out a few stingrays that wandered into shallow waters.

Raven scanned the beach for her best friend a couple of times before she saw her in her bliss. She had crouched down with a few of the other scientists and chatted idly about the nature of stingrays. Sighing softly, Raven was about to return to the house when a shadow covered her completely. She turned a little, tilting her head up to see no one other than Ravanno gazing down upon her with a half-smile.

"Not now." Raven started to stand up.

"No no!" Ravanno put his hands on Raven's shoulders and crouched down in front of her. "I wanted to apologize for Friday night. I was totally out of line. I guess… I just felt this connection, you know? And when you didn't resist I thought you felt the same way." He pleaded his case.

Raven rolled her eyes. "What connection could we possibly have in two minutes of meeting and two songs on a dance floor. I accept your apology, but I'm really not in the mood for company."

Ravanno looked genuinely hurt. He really didn't mean to be so aggressive, but there was something summoning him to reach out to Raven. He put up his hands in a truce and sat beside her with his knees pulled up to his chest.

"Look, I've never met anyone like you. It's like I feel I can trust you. Sometimes I get weird vibes about people. Like I can see more than they're letting on."

Raven looked at Ravanno with a hint of skepticism. "You say that to all the girls? That's not a good pick up line."

"No!" Now he sounded aggravated that Raven wasn't understanding. "I see things." He blurted out before clamping his hand over his mouth.

Now he had Raven's full and undivided attention when she wheeled around to lock her hazel eyes with his hazel eyes. "Like… WHAT?" She was almost ready to pounce on him.

"Well…" Ravanno drew his eyes down and started drawing in the sand. "Sometimes I can see into a person's mind. I'm not good at describing it, but I can draw it pretty well."

"What did you see?" Raven looked concerned.

"I saw you kissing someone. I just don't know who. I thought, maybe, it could've been me. That's why I kissed you."

"When did you see this?"

"A few minutes after we met…" Ravanno pulled his hand back. "It looked sorta like this."

When Raven gazed down, her breath got caught in her throat. Though not the clearest picture, she could tell that it was definitely her kissing what seemed like a silhouette. Around her there was a lot of activity. It resembled fabric flowing and hair being tossed about in a wind. She tilted her head. "Why didn't you say anything?" She whispered.

Ravanno frowned. "Because I thought you'd think I was a freak."

Raven smiled and nudged him in the shoulder. "Hey, we'd both be freaks then." She spoke sympathetically.

"No way! You too!" Ravanno's eyes almost fell out of his head.

"Way." Raven pointed to her eyes. "They get me in trouble and out of trouble. They're a blessing and a curse at the same time."

The two sat together in silence for a moment, not knowing what to say next. Chelsea was rapidly approaching Raven when she slowed down. She hadn't noticed that Ravanno was sitting next to _her _girl, but now she could see him and he didn't look like he was in pain like he should've been for getting close to Raven again. Instead, the two were laughing as if they were sharing a warm conversation.

Still, Chelsea wasn't ready to play it cool. By the time she got back to Raven and Ravanno, whatever conversation they were having had ended. They turned to give her their full attention.

"What's he doing here?" Chelsea was less than welcoming.

Raven leapt to her feet. "Girl, he's got it!"

"It?"

"IT! IT!" Raven was squinting her eyes.

"Isssss _**it**_ contagious?" Chelsea stepped back.

Raven looked confused for a moment. "Huh? Oh! No. He's psychic too!" She spoke in barely a whisper. Just then Raven remembered the second part of Ravanno's abilities and kicked sand sideways to cover up the picture he had drawn.

Ravanno looked up at Chelsea, not speaking. He didn't know what to do, but he didn't want to get in the middle of it.

Chelsea's heart visibly broke into a million pieces in front of Raven. Now not only was she losing the battle with herself, but she was about to lose the battle to some guy who could communicate with her love better than she could.

Backing off Chelsea raised her hand to wave. "There are some scientists over there. They're heading out to a reef on the other side of the island. They asked me if I wanted to come. I was just coming to tell you I'll meet you back at the house later tonight." Without waiting for a response, she turned and jogged back to the group who high fived her and threw their arms around her shoulders.

Now Raven was the one who was jealous and heart broken. It seemed that Chelsea took her excitement the wrong way. Not wanting to make a bad situation worse, she didn't chase Chelsea.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Came a deep voice from behind her.

"Sure." Raven's eyes began to water. She held back the tears, but she was upset. What was going on? What was wrong with Chelsea? One minute she was happy-go-lucky and the next she was avoiding Raven like the plague. Thinking she may have done something wrong, she resolved to back off of Chelsea and leave her alone for a bit. Walking down the beach with Ravanno was not high on her list of ways to cheer herself up, but she didn't really feel like being alone all of a sudden.

They walked for a mile before they sat on the rocks of the canal. Watching the boats go out to sea, they chatted about everything and nothing in particular. They compared visions, situations and outcomes. Half of the conversation was hilarious and the other half was horrifying. They got so caught up in themselves that they lost track of time. The sun had set two hours ago, and they were still sitting on the rocks talking about their (mis)adventures.

"Ooh, it's getting cold." Raven crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her shoulders.

"Let's head back. You Americans don't have any body heat." Ravanno joked.

Raven laughed a little before taking Ravanno's hand to help get over the rocks. "You wouldn't last the winter where I live."

"You're probably right." He let her go, and stretched.

As the two walked back to the road in silence, Ravanno turned to look at Raven. "Hey, I had a really good time today. Thanks."

"No, thank you." The dark-haired girl smiled. "It was nice to talk to someone who understands me every so often."

"Hey Raven?"

"Yea Ravanno?"

"You think that maybe I could've been that person you were kissing?" Ravanno looked her directly in the eyes, brushing the back of his hand against her face.

"No." She smiled sadly. "I know you weren't."

"Chelsea's really lucky to have you." He let his hand fall at his side. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek before turning to walk down the road.

Placing her hand to her cheek in shock, Raven watched until he disappeared down the road. She turned to walk back to the house. Before she got to the door, she spotted Chelsea sitting on the wall towards the side of the house. Slowly making her way over, she rest her hands on the wall and leaned against them.

"Had fun?" Raven looked at her best friend.

"Not more than you had." Chelsea pushed herself off of the wall and walked back to the house.

"Chels! It really wasn't what you thought it was. It was just nice to talk to someone who understands me for a change!"

"LIKE I DON'T?!" The red head's voice came a little too loud.

The volume of Chelsea's voice prompted Raven to get defensive. "You're overreacting!"

"Good night, Rae." The brown eyed girl pushed past her best friend and walked back to the house.

"Don't walk away from me!" Raven was getting furious with every syllable. She grabbed Chelsea by the hand to keep her from leaving. Gently tugging her arm, she coaxed the girl to turn around.

Then she saw it. She saw the moment of vulnerability that would cause all her logic to fail her. Her best friend's eyes were pooling with tears and they were just starting to fall. Raven lost it. She pulled Chelsea even closer. Holding the girl's face she pulled her even closer. Chelsea had done nothing to resist the pulling. She was actually leaning in now to help Raven guide her. The two spent a couple of seconds gazing silently into each other's eyes before Raven closed her own. As her lips brushed Chelsea's they were blinded by the motion sensor lights.

"Hey girls! Come in and try this new sauce I learned how to make today! It's so good!" Victor was waving a spoon around like a maniac.

"Oh man! He's not lying, Rae! You gotta try this" Cory was standing next to his father.

The two girls, blocked by the partition leading to the back yard, pulled away quickly. Raven's eyes were ablaze with fury. She had lost count as to how many times she was so close and then lost it. Chelsea shut her eyes tightly.

"Gimme a minute, dad!" Raven sighed in defeat and followed a silent Chelsea into the house.

Both girls were starting to regret this vacation.

**A/N: I had major beyond major crisis yesterday when my friend decided to drop some horrible news into my lap. I thought I was never going to be able to finish this fic because of it. It was just some really terrible news. I sulked, got over it and got back to writing though. I'm happy to report there are only a few chapters left so stop holding your breath!**

**That is all :D**


	8. Formalities

**Do I have to put this at the beginning of every chapter? Ok I'm going to copy and paste it from this point forward so don't think you're reading the same chapter over and over again! I don't own That's So Raven! The characters and title belong to their respective companies. Yep. Moving right along…**

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The horizon put on a brilliant light show as the display of soft, warm colors danced across the ocean. Thin clouds seemed to dissolve away with the first break of sunlight upon the land. Everything the light touched took on a golden aura until it was all covered by the mesmerizing blanket of dawn. From high above the rocking waves, Tonya cradled her mug of Cocoa-Moo. She woke before the rest of her clan, and decided to take a few moments enjoying the calm. Mrs. Baxter realized, right then and there, life couldn't get any better than this.

And though the world couldn't have presented itself any more beautifully to her, she was still drifting away from it all as her thoughts descended upon her. High tide crawled up the expanse of sand like fingers roaming across honey tinted skin. They pressed closer almost kneading the area, searching for some sort of place to rest comfortably. Finding no place to call their own, the hands retreated back to the ocean to try again.

Tonya sighed and started the scenario over in her head. Her daughter was in love. She knew it. She just knew it! And while that's not necessarily a bad thing, it was who she was in love with that could raise a few eyebrows. Chelsea had been attached at Raven's hip since the first day of Kindergarten when the two girls found themselves reaching for the same toy. Now they were adults who were free to make their own decisions, and Raven's decision was pretty clear in Tonya's eyes while Chelsea played it a little cooler than her companion.

This wasn't what was really bothering Tonya, though. It was something a little more headstrong and a lot more vocal. Victor would be caught completely off guard by this whole situation, and perhaps, act irrationally. She wondered if there was an appropriate way to find out if her husband needed to have a head-start before there came some grand announcement from "the kids." Instead, she opted to keep her mouth shut. Raven's pining and struggle had gone unnoticed by her father, but her mother's sixth-sense was as on and working overtime. She really didn't want to see this blow up in anyone's face, so she sat there in the sunrise and pondered every single fine detail until she could find nothing else to consider.

There was a bit of pressure on her hands before she released. Her mug was floating away in the grip of another pair of hands. Raven sat directly across for her mother, clad in a full-length terrycloth bath robe and slippers. She looked like she didn't sleep much.

As she placed the mug to her lips, a vague "morning" was mumbled as the brown-eyed bandit sipped her stolen goods.

"Why aren't you asleep, baby?" Tonya's sincere mother-tone was low and comforting.

"I don't know, mom. It's been a crazy few days." Raven rolled the mug back and forth a little to warm her hands. "I guess there's just not enough time in the day for me to think so it's taking over my night time too."

"_Ball is in your court, T." _Tonya thought.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with Chelsea? Would it?" Tonya was still laying the tone on thick.

"Maybe." Her daughter huffed.

"And how you can't tell her how you feel about her?"

The mug slowed its rolling back and forth until it came to a complete stop between Raven's palms. Her gaze which was locked on her mother's now trailed down to the mug. Oh, how she wish she could climb into that mug and vanish.

"Baby, nothing is going to come to you that easy." Tonya started up again.

Raven set the mug down on the table. "Yea, but how did you know?"

"I'm your mother. I can tell when things aren't going well with you, Rae. I see them before you see them sometimes." Tonya was half-confessing that she's known this for a while now.

Raven caught on, though. It wasn't a subtle enough confession for her to just shrug off in idle conversation. "How long have you _seen _this?" She was now looking up at her mother.

Knowing that she couldn't dismiss her error, she took her daughter's hands into her own. "Well after you and Eddie had your dating mishap, there was something different about you."

Raven's whole face scrunched and she glanced at her mother under furrowed brows. "Nah, mom. I don't think it started that early. I mean I've been having these visions in my sleep recently, and that's when I thought that there could be something more to my relationship with Chels."

Tonya laughed. "I'm not going to sit here and argue with you about when you came to terms with it. I'm just telling you when I came to terms with your love for your best friend. There was something in the way you approached every day after you and Eddie. I saw a more mature Raven. I also saw you and Chelsea grow so much closer. It's hitting you like a sack of bricks, but I've had a lot of time to ease into this."

"Why didn't you mention something to me?" Raven looked a little sad, knowing her mother was right.

"Who outs their own daughter?" Tonya laughed softly. "You weren't ready, Rae. Now you are. You're ready to take your friendship with your best friend to a new level. That's testy waters, sweetheart. I don't want to see either my girls get hurt."

There was a thoughtful pout and then a serious one followed by Raven's shaky voice. "What about dad?" She spoke low.

Tonya stood to her feet pulling her daughter up with her. "It's not going to be an easy transition for him – I don't think. Don't count your father out, though. He's a good man with a big heart. You'll always be his little girl." She embraced her daughter.

Wrapping her arms around her mother's back, she sighed. "Thanks, mom."

"Anytime, baby." Tonya released and smiled. "Hey, do you want some breakfast?"

"Nah not hungry, but thanks." Raven closed her fingers around the handle of the mug of Cocoa-Moo and smiled. "I'll take this, though." She took a few sips before stepping back into the house.

Tonya shook her head and laughed. She watched as her daughter disappeared around the corner before taking her seat again.

In Raven's bedroom, there was a calming silence as the girl slipped out of her bath robe. It settled around her ankles as she stepped away from it and turned to face the balcony leading out to their section of the back yard. She fluffed her hair, checked the mirror, reapplied her lip gloss and breathed deep.

Her bed was left unmade. Chelsea wasn't there anymore, but Raven knew exactly where she was. The glass door was left cracked open to allow fresh air in and all of the tension out. Instead of going directly to the glass door, Raven ducked out of her bedroom door one more time. She had something in mind.

Victor and Cory were now wide awake and sitting at the kitchen counter.

"Look at you!" Victor smiled. "Where are you going all dressed up?" He leaned forward to get a better look at Raven's outfit.

"Huh?" Raven looked down at herself. She had momentarily forgot that she already removed her robe. Striking a pose and fluffing up her hair again she looked positively smug. "You know how I do!"

Tonya set two plates down in front of the boys. She glanced at Raven from the corner of her eyes before taking the silent queue. "So I thought it would be great to get out and see some more of the island before we left. I'm really so in love with this place!"

Raven's eyes widened as if a brilliant beyond brilliant idea sprang to mind. "I SAW AN AD!" She beamed. She was a little _too _excited about her discovery.

The announcement was so loud that it startled Cory out of his breakfast-trance and prompted him to look up at his sister with discontent. "Congratulations, Rae! Did you read it all by yourself?"

"It's for a private cruise. There's a guy who lets people ride on his yacht. He takes them around. It's a really nice boat!" Raven was trying to sound convincing, but to the wiser of the three, she was saying "Get the hell out of the house."

"Oh that sounds GREAT, Rae! Are you and Chelsea going to come?" Victor set his fork down.

Raven paused for a second. "No. We're going to hang out here for a while. I wanted to, um, well…" she was running out of excuses.

"Rest up for tonight! There's a fish fry every Wednesday on the beach. All the kids their age go down there I read. I wanted to have dinner down there. The fish is so fresh. It's better than anything you've ever had!" Tonya was going a mile a minute.

"Yea!" Raven chimed in. "We were going to go down there later tonight and check out the scene. It's supposed to be pretty crazy. How about we meet you down there after dinner?"

"You're not going to eat there?" Victor sounded concerned.

"Die-hard vegetarians don't eat fish, dad." Raven looked exhausted. She was growing weary of this conversation.

"Okay. Well we should head down to the dock now. We don't want to miss the guy before he leaves!" Victor went to reach for his belongings.

"BYE!" Raven barely let Victor get the words out.

Victor sat back. "Uh… bye, Rae."

"I'll clean up here!" She pressed her father's keys and wallet into his hand and practically ushered him out of the door. Behind her, Cory and Tonya were laughing to themselves as they followed her out of the door.

"Go easy on her." Tonya whispered into Raven's ear and headed down the steps.

Closing the door and locking it, Raven looked towards the hall leading to her room and, ultimately, the back yard.

"T-minus 2 minutes and counting, Chelsea." She smiled to herself. "I have a promise to make."

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**The End**

**A/N: Hahaha just kidding! It's not the end so don't catch a heart attack! There are actually a few more chapters. I ended up writing this one as a filler between the last chapter and the next. I really debated on this one so if you hate it, it's because it wasn't meant to be! But then again, you'd have a lot of blanks to fill in yourself. How nice of a person would I be if I did that to you? Chapter 9 is coming up sooner than you think! **

**P.S. Cocoa-Moo is SO a Kim Possible plug! **

**DC**


	9. Illumination

**Do I have to put this at the beginning of every chapter? Ok I'm going to copy and paste it from this point forward so don't think you're reading the same chapter over and over again! I don't own That's So Raven! The characters and title belong to their respective companies. Yep. Moving right along…**

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Chelsea, clad in a white satin pajama set lay in Paradise, but was anything but relaxed. True, she was on her back in the most lush grass imaginable. Soft, like clouds even, the grass rose from the ground to cushion the rich, earthy foundation beneath her. In her mind she was worlds away, but she knew quite well she was on earth living off the high of just being alive. Her mind started to stray, though, as she took in her surroundings. As if the sun had centered its focus on this one exact area, everything glowed so bright it caused the wary redhead to squint to have a better look.

Where was she, exactly?

She sat up and took it in fully now. Around her everything glowed as if tiny crystals beaded every blade of grass, every stone in the wall, every atom, molecule, everything. Everything seemed to be… illuminated. Was this what falling in love does to you? A butterfly cut across the sky leaving a trail of light behind it. She was starting to wonder if she was drugged while she was sleeping. Exhaling slowly, Chelsea gazed up at her own arm noticing that it glowed with the same kind of vibrancy that had surrounded her. She lay back in the grass staring up at the sky until the shine was so bright she had to close her eyes.

She simply lay there before she felt the sudden jolt. It startled her, and she thought her heart was speeding up to its impending explosion when she reminded herself she had put her phone in her pocket and had never taken it off of vibrate as to not wake Raven. Now her phone was ringing and it was Raven on the other side. Chelsea flipped the phone open and placed it to her ear.

"Where are you?" came the soft, seductive voice from the other side.

"I'm in the back yard." Chelsea answered almost in a whisper

From the other side of the phone, Chelsea could imagine Raven taking on a very mischievous grin as she opened her mouth to speak. "I want to be where you are." Her hazel eyes flickered with something devious.

This caused Chelsea to sit at attention. Not wanting to lose this game she curled her lips into a wry smile and exhaled slowly into the phone. "Come to me."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Her phone snapped shut and found itself resting on the grass next to Chelsea's right hand. Instead of leaning back into the grass as she had intended to, she opted to sit upright and wait for Raven to join her. She glanced around a bit, but saw no signs of activity from the paneled windows that led to the other sections of the house.

Instead, from the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of something most extraordinary. Raven glided over the grass as if her feet never touched the ground. In awe, Chelsea acknowledged Raven's very essence glowing in the rays of the sun. No matter how brightly the rest of the backyard seemed to shine, Raven's glow was on another level. It was if every single ray of light focused itself on her, following her every move. It didn't miss a beat, and it didn't deny a single curve. When they made eye contact, Raven's eyes seemed to glow with some sort of fluorescent vibrancy. It was captivating, and Chelsea couldn't help but to stare, paralyzed and in awe.

The very winds shifted course to compliment Raven's entrance. A gentle wind picked up from the east blowing the hair into Chelsea's eyes, and that was the first time she realized she held her breath from the moment she saw her true love slowly advance on her. It was the same wind that blew back Raven's flowing lime and green chiffon top to reveal that it was secured by one well-placed clasp that blended in perfectly with the fabric. Beneath the top was a pair of short white shorts. She wore nothing on her feet, but around her right ankle, a delicate bracelet caught the sunlight and bounced off it effortlessly.

_**She is illuminated.**_

Her hazel eyes locked on to widened brown eyes and Raven stopped at Chelsea's feet to lower herself to her knees and continue her voyage crawling across the expanse of the redhead's creamy long legs. Settling between her thighs they both dared not utter a single word. Words were not necessary right now. There wasn't a single word either of them could summon that could possibly justify the rush of mad emotion that was surging through every single fiber of their beings.

Instead, Raven gracefully brought her hands up to either side of Chelsea's face and leaned in close gently exhaling against her lover's soft lips. She paused a moment reminding herself that there was a mission in this kiss and she would accomplish it with one deeply passionate moment of pure, raw affection. Closing her eyes, Chelsea knew what was to come before she could even feel it. Just Raven's breath on her lips was enough to tell her she was in for something she'd never felt before.

Raven leaned in and pressed her lips to Chelsea's for less than a second before she consumed the girl's senses. Chelsea melted into the kiss letting a moan escape as Raven greeted the lighter girl's tongue with the gentle massaging of her own. For a moment Chelsea thought her jaw would unhinge as Raven kissed her with so much hunger and passion that she felt it click, reaching its limit. Completely unwilling to stop this perfect moment, Chelsea decided to add some of her own force to accompany Raven without disrupting the flow.

Swirling winds caused loose clothing and flowing hair to dance wildly as the two women held each other, never releasing their locked lips. Chelsea slipped her hands around Raven's exposed waist as the winds picked up, pulling her closer. It wasn't enough that she could feel her kiss, she selfishly wanted it all. She wanted her scent, her touch, her feel, her heartbeat against her own. She needed to consume every single part of her love, and wouldn't have it any other way.

When they finally broke the kiss, Chelsea finally exhaled. The smile that spread across her face spoke volumes without the utterance of a single word. Still, they couldn't go the whole day without vocal expression. She ran her fingers through Raven's hair and looked up at her. "Hey". Was all she could get out in the moment.

"Hey yourself" Raven chose to keep it short.

"I trust you'll keep that promise." The brown eyed girl tilted her head slightly, blushing as she tucked her long mane behind her ears.

"I trust you felt the sincerity of my promise. I'll die by it." Raven locked eyes with her once more before she looked at her surroundings. "Everything… is so bright."

Taking Raven's hand into her own, Chelsea kissed the back, the inside and her wrists. She'd have kissed all the way up her arm had Raven not turned her body and sat between Chelsea's legs, leaning back against her. "Yea." Chelsea began. "Everything is so much brighter when you're in love."

"Can I make a confession?" Raven's hands were roaming the length of Chelsea's legs.

"Mmhmm" The red head was taking in Raven's scent.

"I saw this all in your dream last night. It played out exactly the same way." Raven's body tensed.

Chelsea stopped breathing. She stopped moving altogether. "How were you able to do that?"

"Well, Viv says it's some rare psychic thing. It's my mind's way of telling me that there's something I desire, but don't know how to come to terms with it." The psychic was starting to feel bad about peeking into Chelsea's dreams.

Chelsea laughed softly. "So you're telling me you spent all this time knowing how I felt and you didn't do or say anything?"

"Well dreams aren't always…" Raven started

"… Really, Rae. It's as if you don't know me at all." Chelsea's smile brightened.

Raven sat up and turned around to face Chelsea. Tracing her lover's lips with her thumb she smiled softly. "So you're not mad that I peeked?"

"Ummm no. Not really." Chelsea placed a slow, lingering kiss on Raven's lips. "So how did my dream end? I can't quite remember all of it."

As if by magic, the only button on Raven's shirt came undone. "I'm about to show you." She pressed her palm into Chelsea's shoulder to lay her back on the grass.

This time, there would be no interruptions. With her family gone on an island cruise, the two would have plenty of time to discuss the when's, whys and what nexts.

Before she pulled the drawstring on Chelsea's pajama pants, she looked up at the sky and mouthed "thank you" to the powers that be. At last! Her vacation was about to begin!

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**A/N: Nothing to report? Oh. Last chapter coming soon! That is all.**

**[10/21 10:41 a.m. Ok now I have something to report. Chapter 5 totally dodged me all this time, but I finally realized there was something broken about my story, and there you go! I forgot to upload the chapter! If you didn't read it, go back and do so because chapter six will make a LOT more sense to you! I wanted to mention this is the first chapter I wrote of this story. Then I let it sit around and linger, tweaking and editing it as I saw fit. I never knew it would take 8 chapters to build up to this one, but I wanted to do it justice. This came from a dream I had a while back, and I wrote the entire fic around it. If it seems a little short and disconnected - that's why. Sorry! Last chapter is coming to you soon! Thanks for reading this far!**

**DC**


	10. Often Dreamers

Hell, Heaven, Earth and back again. If Raven had to describe her vacation to anyone (and she would have to), that's how she would describe it. And when asked to elaborate, she'd point to the permanent grin affixed to her face and let them fill in their own blanks. It was already Thursday afternoon when the young psychic woke up. Chelsea's long, red curls were spilling over the side of the bed as she slept facing Raven. Across the expanse of the king sized bed they shared, Raven and Chelsea had cuddled up in the middle. There was this serene look spread across Chelsea's features. Her rosy cheeks were a little warm. Raven could guess what Chelsea was dreaming about without peeking. She left the smallest, lightest kisses across her lover's exposed shoulder before sliding out of bed.

When her feet hit the floor, it felt completely different to be alive to Raven. She felt as if the weight of the world was suddenly lifted from her shoulders. Everything she touched felt so much more real than it ever had before. From the carpet under her feet to the bathroom light switch and the terry cloth of her towel, it was if someone uncapped her senses and they were radiating from her body and touching things she was nowhere near.

She couldn't help it. She climbed back into bed next to Chelsea who was still fast asleep. Propping herself up on her elbow, she laid sideways just watching her sleep. She was completely fascinated by the way she viewed Chelsea right then and there. The sunlight was pouring into her bedroom, and the hilighlights in her long, wispy red curls caused her hair to resemble molten lava cascading over the side of the bed. Her skin absorbed the golden hues and let them tint her creamy complexion. Laying there, she looked like her whole body was ablaze. It was the most incredible thing that Raven had ever seen. She truly felt that this was Chelsea's most perfect moment, and she was there to witness it.

Finally snapping out of her trance, she pushed herself out of bed and walked into the bathroom. She scanned her iPod for a few seconds before setting it down in the dock. She had been on a Common kick, and loaded her player with his albums, but there was one song in particular that she wanted to hear. As the melody drifted through the bathroom, Raven climbed into the shower. The water was cool against her skin as she relaxed her tensed muscles in the shower. All the events of the past week had melted from her body and made their way down the drain, never to return again.

Though the water was cool, she felt a certain warmth press against her back. Raven closed her eyes and welcomed the sweet sensation of the warmth spreading across her skin. From behind her, two light hands traveled up her sides and settled beneath her own arms. The hands traveled upwards brushing her shoulder blades and settled on her shoulders. Chelsea pressed her body closer into Raven's as the girl leaned her head back against her lover's shoulder.

"That's a nice way to wake up." Raven cooed.

Chelsea, who was gripping Raven's shoulders from behind, only smiled softly. A sliver of cool metal pressed into Raven's collar bone, but it didn't bother her much. The two girls spent a few moments in silence just enjoying the feeling of being close to each other.

When Raven finally turned around to face the red head, she noticed that Chelsea had not taken her clothes off. She started to laugh before she saw that her best friend now lover was staring into her eyes with intensity.

"Yes." Was all Chelsea whispered. She rose from her deep, peaceful slumber when she heard Raven turn the water on the shower. There was something different about her, though. Her left hand, which was resting on her pillow, was now reflecting an odd light. She rolled onto her back and raised her left hand high in the air. Her eyes widened in shock, and then settled into an unspeakable bliss. She turned her hand a couple of times to see if it was really real. Yea, there was definitely something different about her hand. There was something there that wasn't before. She didn't want to waste time stepping out of her own clothes. She bee-lined for the bathroom door. She had to be close to Raven immediately.

Now she was standing in the shower fully dressed with her hand still on Raven's shoulder. She could only look at her lover. There was still a great deal of shock and inarticulate awe speeding through her mind. Like a pendulum, it pushed itself as far as it could go before rocking her back to reality.

The music was still pumping through the speakers when she held up her left hand, bringing it to Raven's full attention. "Yes". Was all Chelsea could say again.

One word was all Raven needed to hear to set her heart on fire. "Yes?"

"Yes!" Chelsea's voice got a little louder. There was nothing menacing about her tone, though. Her voice was filled with overwhelming excitement.

The ring on the red head's finger fit perfectly. Raven glanced down at it. Taking Chelsea's hand into her own, the hazel eyed girl could only smile. "It looks nice on you." She smirked.

"It couldn't suit me better." Chelsea's eyes were starting to well up with tears. "This was sooner than I expected, but I couldn't imagine it happening any other way."

"Oh so you _expected _it!" Raven was amused.

"Well…" Chelsea laughed. "Every girl dreams of this day."

"And fifteen years is long enough to dream of this day, don't you think?" The psychic pulled Chelsea closer.

"_You helped me to discover me_

_I just want you to put trust in me_

_I kinda laugh when you cuss at me._

_The aftermath is you touchin me."_

As the song wound down to the last verse, Raven placed her hand against Chelsea's face. She couldn't imagine prolonging their wait any longer. There was a time and a place for everything. In this time and in this place, Chelsea and Raven knew exactly what they both wanted. There was a message in this song that Raven intended to convey to her love of so very long.

"_It's destiny that we connected, girl._

_You and I we can affect the world._

_I'm tired of the fast lane…"_

"I want you to have my last name." Instead of music from the speakers, it was Raven who spoke the final line. The music and the shower's noise faded into the background as Chelsea's ears could only register Raven's voice.

The declaration prompted the tears to finally fall from her eyes. For a split second, Chelsea thought she was still dreaming. Had one day made all the difference? No, it was years in the making. This wasn't a spontaneous moment, this was Raven's pre-meditated intention. It didn't matter if they were standing in the shower, a forest, a beach or sitting in midtown tunnel traffic. They were always in their own world.

She had already answered Raven's question, but she felt she had to say it again. "Yes! A million times yes!" Chelsea threw her arms around Raven's neck, pulling her into a sensual kiss.

Raven broke the kiss for only a moment. "You know, showering is a lot easier without all your clothes on, Chels." There was mischief in her eyes.

"Oh yea!" The girl started to unbutton her top. Raven placed her hands over Chelsea's.

"I'll do it for you." The darker girl insisted.

They took the longest shower of their lives that day. When they finally emerged from the bathroom, they were tired enough to go back to sleep, but they knew this would be the last full day they'd have on the island before they had to take off the next day.

When they joined the rest of the family in the kitchen, Victor's jaw hit the ground. "FINALLY! I thought you two would never wake up!" His mock-surprise was obvious. "You two sure partied hard last night. It's almost three o'clock!" He tapped his watch.

"Long day"

"Long night"

The two spoke simultaneously, but not the same. They only looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Raven stepped forward. "So what's the plan for today, guys? One huge family **Baxter **family outing before we fly back?" She put special emphasis on "Baxter" while nudging Chelsea in the side. The girl blushed a vivid shade of red and giggled.

This wasn't lost on Tonya who noticed that the two girls were closer than ever - if that were even possible. She looked thoughtful, eyeing the two girls up and down. She half hoped that there would be no visible proof of their "long day/night" on them. Instead, she found something a little more obvious.

"Hey you two. Let's spend a couple of hours shopping and leave these two boys to do some father/son bonding." Came Tonya's request. "I saw a really beautiful _jewelry _store back by the docks. I wanted to see if they had anything nice to bring back for my mom."

Raven's eyes narrowed. Then she caught on. She glanced at Chelsea who was still on cloud nine and then glanced at her mother who was awaiting her answer. "Sounds good to me." Raven shrugged it off. "Let me just get my bag. Chels?"

Chelsea turned on her heel and followed Raven into the bedroom.

"My mom knows, you know." Raven slung her bag over her shoulder and glanced at Chelsea who was doing the same.

Chelsea paused. "Really? Is that why we're going out with her now?" The girl looked a little worried.

"Yea, but don't sweat it. I think everything's going to be just fine." Raven kissed Chelsea before walking out of the bedroom.

In the marketplace, Tonya poked around. She looked really uninterested in the baubles and knick-knacks that were sitting on the tables. She breezed through the racks briefly before turning her attention to Chelsea who wasn't standing beside Raven for the first time all day.

"See anything interesting, Mrs. B?" Chelsea's eyes were scanning a rack of shell necklaces.

"Just a ring." Tonya's voice was monotone.

"Oh really? Where?" Chelsea looked up with genuine curiosity.

Tonya took Chelsea's hand in her own and held it up for her to see her own ring finger. "This one."

"Oh well…" Chelsea hesitated "This one isn't for sale. There's a counter with lots of nice rings over there." She pointed with her free hand.

"Oh Chelsea." Tonya laughed. "I'm more concerned about this ring." She gave it a good look. "It's incredible."

"You think so?" Raven appeared behind her mother.

The three ladies decided to sit at a café and talk instead of obstructing traffic in the market place.

Tonya was the first to begin. "I'm happy for you two. I really am. But I have to ask. Isn't this moving a little too fast?"

Raven and Chelsea looked at each other before the psychic chuckled. "Chill, mom. It's a promise ring. Though…" Raven placed her hand under her chin. "I suppose it's almost the same as proposing. Well for us, anyway."

"We're gonna take it day by day, Mrs. B." Chelsea added.

A sigh of relief escaped Tonya's lungs. "Well that's good! So how are you two handling this huge step?"

"It's a dream come true." Chelsea joked.

"Good one, Chels!" Raven laughed.

The ladies made their way back to the house to reconnect with Victor and Cory who had spent the afternoon fishing. The family resolved to clean up and have dinner in the back yard. Victor could take a million vacations, but he was his happiest when he could cook a huge meal. The family wasn't about to protest at all. They set the table in the back and prepared for their huge meal.

Away in the distance, Raven and Chelsea stood side by side at the end of the massive cliff. As the sun dipped into the horizon, they tilted their heads back to let the warm breeze blow over them. Chelsea affixed her eyes to the horizon before turning to Raven.

"That is one promise I intend to spend the rest of my life making sure you keep, Rae."

Raven gasped. It was exactly her vision, and she knew what was coming next.

Chelsea turned and leaned in to kiss Raven. As the girl leaned in to meet her lover they were cut short by Tonya clearing her throat.

"Dinner is served, you two. Save the dessert for later." She smiled and turned to join her husband and son at the table.

"Well that's no surprise. At least when we get back to New York there won't be so much interruption." Raven mumbled.

Chelsea responded by lacing her fingers in Raven's and leading her back to the table. "Well how about we look for a place of our own and there won't be any interruptions at all."

"Girl, I like the way you think!" Raven smiled bright.

The connections we make to the people we know are often short-lived and fleeting. And while some come and go, there are those who cannot be replaced, removed or forgotten. In a world where billions of people cohabitate, the possibilities for love and the potential for forever is a gamble. While people travel the world looking for the one, some of us only have to look as far as down the road. Some of us, perhaps, should simply peer into our own dreams for they are inspired by the heart, and the heart knows what the heart wants.

As Chelsea and Raven bid the family good night, they gazed into each other's eyes lovingly and returned to their bedroom where they both knew they would no longer need dreams to speak the truth. They were blessed enough to be living it in one another.

Fin

A/N: My first TSR fic is DONE! Woo hoo! I hope you enjoyed reading it! I just want to thank LaughLoveLive for everything. Whether it was a vote of confidence, a stroke of the ego or inspiration, you were there from the beginning, and I couldn't have done this without you!

Thanks for reading!

DC07


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